The Lord’s Love for Israel

11 When Israel was a child, I loved him,(A)
and out of Egypt I called my son.(B)
Israel called to the Egyptians(C)
even as Israel was leaving them.[a]
They kept sacrificing to the Baals(D)
and burning offerings to idols.(E)
It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,(F)
taking them[b] by the hand,[c](G)
but they never knew that I healed them.(H)
I led them with human cords,
with ropes of love.(I)
To them I was like one
who eases the yoke from their jaws;(J)
I bent down to give them food.(K)
Israel will not return to the land of Egypt
and Assyria will be his king,(L)
because they refused to repent.(M)
A sword will whirl through his cities;(N)
it will destroy and devour the bars of his gates,[d](O)
because of their schemes.(P)
My people are bent on turning from me.(Q)
Though they call to him on high,
he will not exalt them at all.

How can I give you up, Ephraim?(R)
How can I surrender you, Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?(S)
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?(T)
I have had a change of heart;
my compassion is stirred!
I will not vent the full fury of my anger;(U)
I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim.(V)
For I am God and not man,
the Holy One among you;(W)
I will not come in rage.[e]
10 They will follow the Lord;(X)
he will roar like a lion.(Y)
When he roars,
his children will come trembling from the west.(Z)
11 They will be roused like birds from Egypt
and like doves(AA) from the land of Assyria.(AB)
Then I will settle them in their homes.(AC)

This is the Lord’s declaration.

12 Ephraim surrounds me with lies,(AD)
the house of Israel, with deceit.
Judah still wanders with God
and is faithful to the holy ones.[f]

Footnotes

  1. 11:2 Lit They called to them; thus they went from before them
  2. 11:3 LXX, Syr, Vg; MT reads him
  3. 11:3 Lit them on his arms
  4. 11:6 Or devour his empty talkers, or devour his limbs; Hb obscure
  5. 11:9 Or come into any city; Hb obscure
  6. 11:12 Hb obscure

God Loves Israel

11 “When Israel was a young child I loved him,
    and from Egypt I called my son.
The more I called out to them,
    the farther they fled from me;[a]
they sacrificed to Baals,[b]
    burning incense to carved images.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
    supporting them by their arms,
        but they never knew that I was healing them.
I guided them with human kindness,
    with loving reins.
I acted toward them
    like one who removes a yoke from their neck;
        I bent down and fed them.

“They will not return to the land of Egypt;
    instead, the Assyrian will be their king,
        because they kept refusing to repent.
The sword will fall on their cities,
    consuming and devouring their fortified gates,[c]
        despite their planning.
My people are determined to turn away from me;
    though they call to the Most High,
        no one is worshiping.

“How can I give up on you, Ephraim?
    I will deliver you, will I not, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
    I can’t make you like Zeboim,[d] can I?
My heart stirs within me;
    my compassion also fans into flame!
I will not act in my anger;
    I will not return to destroy Ephraim,
For I am God,
    and not a human—
the Holy One among you—
    so I will not enter the city in anger.[e]
10 They will go after the Lord,
    who will roar like a lion;
and when he roars,
    the children will come trembling from the west.
11 Trembling like a bird, they will come out of Egypt,
    and as a dove from the land of Assyria;
and I will settle them in their houses,”
    declares the Lord.

12 [f]“Ephraim surrounds me with lies,
    and the house of Israel surrounds me[g] with deceit,
But Judah still rules with God,
    and remains faithful, along with the godly ones.”

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 11:2 So LXX. MT reads They called to them, so they went away from them.
  2. Hosea 11:2 I.e. Canaanite deities
  3. Hosea 11:6 Lit. devouring the bars
  4. Hosea 11:8 cf. Deut 29:23
  5. Hosea 11:9 The Heb. lacks in anger
  6. Hosea 11:12 This v. is 12:1 in MT
  7. Hosea 11:12 The Heb. lacks surrounds me